Mondo cane

Although i cannot say that this was an especially good movie, I can say that you should not see it as an exploitation of other cultures, but as a view of the world from an indifferent point of view. Even though the film might have been made as a way of shocking viewers and making a profit, you should take from it the fact that what seems shocking or unusual by us can be of nature to others, and things we do in our everyday lives can seem shocking to others. i give it a 6/10.

As retro films go, Mondo Cane is still a refreshing take on schlock, documentary filmmaking, hilariously camp in it's motives and of more than passing interest in this age of reality TV. The setups and prurient approach that made these films popular at the time of their release is only re-reflected in the equally blatant, reality trash that has successfully been permeating TV since the turn of the new century. It's stunning just how the tastes of pop-culture audiences have changed in the last 50 years or so. A retrospective of the Mondo film genre is represented beautifully in a nicely-packaged DVD box set, which includes a terrifically interesting documentary on the two filmmakers, Jacopetti and Prosperi, who started the trend with this Italian potboiler back in 1962. MONDO CANE is not as dated as some would lead you to believe, particularly if you examine the motives behind it, and the method of it's humor and social commentary. Perhaps the most significant contribution MONDO CANE offers as a film chronicle, and undeniably the most artistic, is the Riz Ortolani/Nino Oliviero music score which includes one of the great melodies of the 20th Century, MORE. MONDO CANE is a "reality" movie sure to please even the most jaded multiplexer. Beautifully photographed and scored.

Uneven but fascinating documentary on bizarre customs around the world. It has a few dull stretches (the auto junkyard scene) and the narration sometimes gets a little too condescending. But there are also unforgettable scenes (the giant sea turtle that has lost any sense of orientation, great bullfighting footage) that make "Mondo Cane" essential viewing for anyone who is even mildly interested in cult films. (***)

Whether or not the narrator has all of the facts straight (as he has been accused of not having), the team of directors Cavara and Jacopetti have captured some of the most amazing footage ever featured in a documentary. All of these traditions probably do not still go on today, making this a truly fascinating glimpse into the history of how different cultures viewed and dealt with death. Presented in a totally unbiased nature, Cavara and Jacopetti simply show the events, and let the viewer decide whether or not the footage is shocking; in my opinion the best way to shoot a documentary. No disrespect is paid to any of the featured cultures, rather a strange reverence and respect for. Any amount of shocking footage is intended not to be shocking, but instead, I feel, to show the absurd amount of dedication we have to tradition. In an unbiased, unflinching way, we're showed death of everything from animals and humans, all the way to automobiles. Cavara and Jacopetti should be applauded for the influence they have had in the documentary genre, and for this great film that started it all. Rating: 30/40

A bizarre film narrated by Gualteiro Jacopetti. All sorts of bizarre and disgusting things are shown on film. There's real documented scenes by Jacopetti around the world about nudity, sex, orgies, naked sketching, bullfighting, shark attacks, drunken Germans, witchcraft, cannabilism, a chicken that smokes (!), and even a look in an asian restaurant where dogs are served as the special of the day!! This is just like a big newsreel montage that lasts ninety minutes. It's pretty amazing. It's another one of those other than Japanese films that I thought was really appealing because it's SOO bizarre. Not for the squeamish.